How to Clean and Maintain Newly Painted Interior Walls

Kansas City Painting Company – Caring for Your Newly Painted Interior

So, you’ve just completed a brand-new interior painting project.  The wall and trim are pristine, and you want to keep them that way.  Just like the other surfaces in your home, a little preventative maintenance means less time later spent scrubbing. However, different types of paints require different types of care and there are various kinds of stains you may need to remove.  Read more about how to clean stains and maintain your walls without ruining the paint.

New Paint Maintenance Tips

General preventative maintenance means while you are vacuuming, use the soft brush attachment to collect dust and cobwebs  You can also generally wipe them down with your duster using a dusting wipe or soft cloth covered with a dusting spray. Wipe fingerprints and other marks as soon as you notice them using a damp sponge.  Avoid excess water when cleaning painted walls.

Always avoid scrubbing the surface too hard or you will create what’s called a burnish. This means you’ve smoothed out the original paint texture.  The key to keeping walls clean is to react quickly as possible to the stain.

Cleaning Various Paint Finishes

Before washing a painted surface know the type of finish or paint sheen being cleaned.  The sheen level of the surface will determine how you approach the cleaning project.  

The glossier the surface is, the more cleanable it is. These smooth surfaces resist stains and drip marks from water in bathrooms and kitchen.

So generally, we recommend a flat finish and egg-shell for living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, hallways. A satin or pearl finish works as well and adds a beautiful rich surface.  Paints that are semi gloss or gloss we recommend mainly for kitchens, baths, trim, and doors.

Flat, Eggshell, and Satin Finishes

These paint finishes are less washable when it comes to cleaning. Do not use harsh chemicals or degreasers when cleaning flat paint walls and be mindful when washing with a sponge to not scrub too hard or use excess water.  The sponge should be wrung out almost completely before putting it to the walls. Although many modern formulated paints in flat and eggshell are more washable, exercise care, and perhaps test a small area first in an inconspicuous area before tackling wall front and center.

Semigloss or Gloss Finishes

Semigloss and gloss paints are highly cleanable. That’s why so they’re used in high-traffic areas like kitchens, bathrooms, and on surfaces that are prone to dirt accumulation like trim, doors, and cabinets. You can use a mild degreaser on glossy surfaces.  Gloss and semigloss paint is durable, but it will still scratch, use a soft sponge when cleaning surfaces with these paint sheens. Pay close attention to high-use areas like around doorknobs and light switches.

How to Clean Wall Stains

Types of Stains

There are basically two kinds of stains that will get on your walls and other surfaces.  Oil-based stains, like grease, shoe polish, crayon and water-based stains like ketchup, mustard, food, and wine. For water-based stains always start with a sponge damped with clean water.  With oil-based stains, you may need to add a mild dishwashing soap like Dawn to dissolve the grease.

Generally, for any stain, it is advisable to start with pure clean water on a sponge. Always rub gently.  If that doesn’t work mix a small amount of dishwashing soap into the water for oil-based stains.  If the stain is still there, graduate to a few drops of soap directly on the sponge. 

Finally, for stubborn stains, you can apply a product like Fantastik or Formula 409. These cleaners have strong chemicals in them. It’s important to rinse the walls (with clean water) after using them as they can soften the painted surface. The following paragraphs will give you some tips for cleaning various stains.

Cleaning Crayon Marks off Walls

Make a paste with some baking soda. 50% soda, 50% water and then lightly scrub the marks. The marks should come off with just a small amount of effort. Remember to wipe off the gritty residue with clean water and a sponge. You can preheat the crayon marks with a blowdryer to melt them first, making the marks easier to remove.

Cleaning Permanent Marker Stain off Walls, Doors, and Trim

There’s a reason why they call them “permanent”. Try dishwashing soap first. If that’s doesn’t work, try cleaning with a small amount of rubbing alcohol in an inconspicuous spot to ensure it will not damage the surface, then tackle the stain. Some paint may come off along with the ink, so scrub carefully. It will most likely take several passes as the ink may spread and you’ll need to clean your sponge and use fresh alcohol.

A more aggressive treatment like Comet on a sponge is the last resort.  At this point, you are adding an abrasive, which will damage the paint the more you use it. Get off as much marker as you can.  If you’re not happy then get ready to touch up the paint using a stain-blocking primer first then top coat with matching paint.

Cleaning Wine Stains from Painted Surfaces

Wine stains are difficult. The pigments in red wine actually dye the porous or semi-porous surface of the wall. If you’re dealing with a fresh stain, try immediately dabbing with a clean damp sponge to remove any excess wine from the wall.  Rinse your sponge then apply a small amount of common 3% hydrogen peroxide to the clean sponge.  Dab the peroxide on to the stain.  If this doesn’t work mix 1 part household bleach with 4 part water. Clean the wine stain with the bleach solution. Rinse the area well with fresh water.

If any red wine stains remain, continue to wash the wall with the bleach solution and rinse again. If the bleach and peroxide whiten a darker color, you may have to touch up your paint.